Emergent Writing: Building Early Literacy Through Classroom Practices

Katherine Dyson, M.S., Point Coupee Early Childhood Coalition Coach

Emergent writing, the process where young children begin to experiment with written language, is an important contributor to the development of literacy skills. Children’s engagement in emergent writing develops literacy skills such as letter knowledge, print concepts, and phonological awareness, laying the foundation for future reading and writing success (National Early Literacy Panel [NELP], 2008; Ouellette & Sénéchal, 2017).

While many educators focus on handwriting and spelling, emergent writing also involves composing and idea generation, which is often overlooked. One way for teachers to support the development of writing skills in preschool-aged children is by integrating the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) as a framework to foster emergent writing. CLASS is a widely implemented and, in some cases, mandated tool that many teachers currently utilize as a guide for best practices and to measure the quality of their interactions with students (Hamre et al., 2009). Teachers can use the CLASS tool to identify opportunities for writing, organize the environment to support emergent writing, enhance interactions that lead to idea development, implement instructional support for writing, and integrate writing across curriculum areas, linking language development and content knowledge. As shown in Table 1, CLASS provides a structured way to integrate emergent writing into everyday learning environments, fostering both tactile skills and writing composition.

Emergent Writing

Emergent writing refers to the early stages of writing development where children begin to explore and experiment with written language before conventional writing skills are fully mastered (DeBaryshe, 2023). All forms of writing are encouraged and accepted. Emergent writing encourages the development of foundational literacy skills that are essential to children’s future success. These skills extend beyond handwriting and spelling to include developing understandings of how print works (e.g., print carries meaning, print has different purposes, and print conveys messages). 

Emergent writing develops through interactions with others and the environment. Typically, emergent writing begins with a child’s initial markings on a page. With an increase in fine-motor skills, children can draw and write longer lines and scribbles that eventually take the form of letters and shapes. As knowledge of print increases, children can differentiate between drawing and writing (DeBaryshe, 2023). Their scribbles become letter-like forms with spaces and directionality to convey meaning. As children continue to practice and develop writing skills, different forms of emergent writing may appear across contexts. For example, many children learn to print their names, and can sign cards, but will still use scribbles in dramatic play settings to represent various labels or items such as menus (DeBaryshe, 2023). 

Children will then begin to utilize invented spelling to represent initial word sounds with single letters, and form strings of letters. Invented spelling is a way of spelling using phonetics, or the sounds of spoken language. This technique focuses on sounds within the words and letter-sound correspondence. Invented spelling is a promising approach to spelling that supports the integration of phonological and orthographic representations such as phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and general reading and writing development (Debaryshe, 2023; Gerde et al., 2012; Rowe et al., 2023). As they master the alphabetic principle, children can increasingly form words, and eventually sentences and conventional messages (DeBaryshe, 2023).

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), developed by the University of Virginia’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, is a tool used to assess the quality of interactions between teachers and students in the classroom. CLASS is used in over 50 countries and is the mandated Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) in 13 states, including Louisiana.

CLASS is a reliable and valid evidence-based tool developed to measure and improve the quality of interactions between teachers and students (Hamre et al., 2009). The CLASS tool includes three domains that support learning and development: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. Each domain is further divided into dimensions that capture more specific details about teachers’ interactions with children. The domains that best align to teacher supports for emergent writing are Classroom Organization and Instructional Support.

Classroom Organization: The Classroom Organization domain relates to routines and procedures composed of Behavior Management (BM), Productivity (P), and Instructional Learning Formats (ILF). This domain assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of routines, guidance strategies, and learning modalities. In this domain, high-scoring classrooms provide a sense of safety and predictability that support exploration and the development of self-regulation skills.

Instructional Support: The Instructional Support dimensions are Concept Development (CD), Quality of Feedback (QF), and Language Modeling (LM). This domain assesses cognitive and language development by measuring how teachers support problem solving, analysis and reasoning, encouragement, vocabulary, and conversational skills. Effective teachers support engagement by preparing materials, asking questions, connecting learning to everyday life, and providing feedback that encourages children’s efforts (Pianta et al., 2008).

CLASS Framework: A Tool for Supporting Emergent Writing

CLASS and emergent writing intersect through research based writing supports and teachers’ language and facilitation of writing in the classroom. Classroom practices such as including writing in the daily routine, inviting children to write, providing a variety of materials, setting a purpose for writing, suggesting content for writing, composing alongside children, integrating writing and play, providing scaffolding, encouraging invented spelling, and inviting students to read their writing all align to the CLASS tool when teachers support language, participate in back-and-forth exchanges, and connect writing to children’s lives.

Emergent writing plays a critical role in students’ future success in literacy and academic growth, yet it is frequently under-emphasized in PreK classrooms. The CLASS tool, recognized for its ability to measure quality classroom interactions, emerges as a potential framework for nurturing and supporting emergent writing through high quality interactions. By embedding writing into routines, play, and meaningful interactions, teachers can inspire creativity, build confidence, and nurture a love for written expression. With responsive support, young learners can flourish as they explore the power of their words.

References

DeBaryshe, B. D. (2023). Supporting emergent writing in preschool classrooms: Results of a 

professional development program. Education Sciences, 13(9), 961. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090961

Dyson, K., Piestrzynski, L. (2025). The CLASS tool: A framework for fostering emergent 

writing. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 53(2), 18-25. 

Gerde, H. K., Bingham, G. E., & Wasik, B. A. (2012). Writing in early childhood classrooms: 

Guidance for best practices. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(6), 351–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0531-z

Hamre, B., Goffin, S., & Kraft-Sayre, M. (2009). Classroom Assessment Scoring System 

(CLASS™) implementation guide: Measuring and improving classroom interactions in early childhood settings. Teachstone, Inc.

National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early 

Literacy Panel. National Institute for Literacy.

Ouellette, G., & Sénéchal, M. (2017). Invented spelling in kindergarten as a predictor of reading 

and spelling in Grade 1: A new pathway to literacy, or just the same road, less known? Developmental Psychology, 53(1), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000179

Rowe, D. W., Davis, Z. G., & Piestrzynski, L. (2023). Adult supports for preschool writers 

during learning centers. Reading Research Quarterly, 58(4), 539–560. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.506

Katherine Dyson, M.S. is an Early Childhood educator and instructional coach specializing in teacher training and classroom quality improvement. With experience in urban education and daycare settings, she focuses on practical, engaging methods to enhance instructional effectiveness. Her research explores structured video self-reflection as a professional development tool, emphasizing teacher self-efficacy. She designs hands-on, impactful learning experiences, such as lunch-and-learn sessions on the CLASS tool. Passionate about early education, she bridges research and practice to support teachers in creating enriching environments for young learners.